Virginella A. Gonwa

Virginella A. Gonwa went to be with the Lord on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, at Harbor Campus. She was 93 years old.

She was born Aug. 31, 1930, in Belgium, to the late Peter and Anastasia (Strauss) Kleckner.

On March 28, 1951, she married Roman Gonwa at Holy Cross Catholic Church in the Town of Belgium while he was on leave from the Army stationed in Europe. They spent more than 55 years together.

Throughout her life, Virginella enjoyed simple pleasures like gardening and quilting. Her quilting talents led her to create beautiful quilts for her family members and numerous others. It was a skill that brought comfort and warmth to many.

Virginella and Roman enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, visiting all 50 states, and Luxembourg, sharing their memories with family and friends.

As a former den mother, she actively participated in Scouting activities when her children were younger.

She and her husband spent many years camping with their family and later enjoyed spending time at their cottage at Shawano Lake.

She was proud of her Luxembourg heritage. She and Roman were the honorary duke and duchess of the 1999 Luxembourg Fest in Belgium.

Virginella was proud of her children and grandchildren. She received great joy in witnessing their growth and successes.

Her strong faith guided her through life’s challenges and provided her with a sense of peace and resilience.

She will be deeply missed by her children David (Gail) Gonwa of Belgium, Denis (Lynn) Gonwa of De Pere, Ruth (Patrick) Schultz of Madison, Judy (Barry) Effinger of Port Washington, Scott (Holly) Gonwa of Cedarburg and Mark (Tory) Gonwa of Belgium; 16 grandchildren, Chad, Matt, Derek, Josh, Justin, Abby, Lindsay, Jake, Ashley, Carolyn, Nicholas, Brooke, Adam, Sabrina, Megan and Garrett; and 13 great-grandchildren, David, Gabrielle, Aiden, Merrick, Jase, Jude, Will, Miles, Cameron, Ada, Luci, Madelyn and Henry.

She is further survived by her siblings Delmar, Francis (Betty), Barbara Barrett, John (Kay), Daniel and James and brother-in-law Herman Feyereisen, along with many nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Roman, who died in 2007, her siblings Rosemary Feyereisen, Roman and  Agnes Huiras and her brothers-in-law Joe Barrett and Alois Huiras.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, at Divine Savior Parish, Holy Cross Chapel, 5330 County Rd. B, Belgium. The family will greet visitors at the church from 4 p.m. until the service. Father Don Thimm will be presiding.

She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Lake Church Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the staff of Harbor Campus and Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice for their kind and compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the American Legion Auxiliary, Holy Hill Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians or Heart of the Nation TV Mass Service.

Eernisse Funeral Home is assisting the Gonwa family with arrangements.

To leave an online condolence please visit www.eernissefuneralhome.com.